3. Suppofing the Truth of Chriftianity; Chap. 3. it is plain to common Senfe, that a Church, Queft.5. which is Un-orthodox either in the chief or in the inferior Points of the Chriftian Revelation, is not the TRUE CHURCH of Chrift: But the TRUE CHURCH Of Chrift fhall always fubfift, from its first Foundation by Chrift to the end of the World. For fpeaking to S. Peter he faid, (4) Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the Gates of Hell Shall not prevail against it. Therefore the Catholick Church is always Orthodox, both in the chief, and in the inferior Points of the Christian Revelation.

4. Chrift does not teach, and remain with thofe, who reject and contradict his Doctrine, even in the lefs principal Parts of it. But he faid to the first Pastors of his Church, [5] Bebold I am with you all Days, and at all Times even to the end of the World. Therefore his Church is always Orthodox, even in the inferior Articles of Christianity.

5. If the Church of Chrift ought to be hear'd, even in private Cases betwixt Man and Man; much more in those, where Religion is concern'd. But even in private Cafes, [6] If he will not bear the Church, let him be to you as a Heathen and a Publican.

Therefore in Difputes of Religion fhe ought always to be bear'd. And confequently in thefe fhe is always Orthodox.

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6. God

(4) S. Mat. xvi. v. 18.

[5] ἰδὲ, ἐγὼ μεθ ̓ ὑμῶν ειμι

πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἕως

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THE OUTERESAS Th day, S.Mat. xxviii. v. 20. [6] S.Mat. xviii. v. 17.

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Chap. 3. 6. God has not only given us Apostles, Queft.5. Prophets, and Evangelifts, but alfo Paftors and Teachers, [7] till we all come into the Unity of the Faith that benceforth we be not like Children, tefs'd every way, and carry'd about with every Blast of Doctrine, by the Slight and Craft of Men, contriving to deceive us..

But un-orthodox Guides cannot fecure us against Error. Therefore the Catholick Church, and the Body of her Paftors are al ways Orthodox.

In this Senfe we have Reason to understand these words of Chrift to his Apofles, (8) F will afk the Father, and be will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you FOR EVER, the Spirit of Truth. For the Apoftles, in their own. Perfons, were not to remain here for ever.

Secondly, The perpetual Orthodoxy of the Catholick Church may be alfo prov'd by the Tradition of all Ages.

The firft Converts of Chrift and his Apostles were call'd Difciples, and Believers ; afterwards (9) Christians. But when Diffenters, as Simonians, Nicolaites, and Gnofticks, of whom S. John faid, (10) They went out from us, but they were not of us, prefum'd to take upon them his Name whom they blafphem'd, and to call themfelves CHRISTIANS; the main Body of true Believers (without departing from its former Title) took upon it the Name of CA

THOLICKS,

·

[9] εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς πίςεως αποίῳ τῇ κυβείᾳ τῶν ανθρωπων ἐν παιεργᾳ πρὸς τὴν μεθοδείαν τῆς πλάνη Eph.iv. v. 11, 12, 13, 14i (8) S. John xiv. v. 16, 17. (10) John ii. v. 19.

(9) Acts. xi. v. 26.

THOLICKS, from its undoubted Properties, Chap. 3 Univerfality and Orthodoxy. For being fpread, Queit.5. in a Manner, over the Earth, and being far more numerous than any Sect of Christians, it was properly UNIVERSAL: And because it alone retain'd the Faith and Communion of the Apostles, it alone was ORTHODOX. So that, if the Title of the HOLY CHURCH diftinguish'd true Believers from Infidels and Jews; that of CATHOLICKS diftinguifh'd them from all Chriftian Diffenters, whether Hereticks or Schifmaticks. And, that it might do this more remarkably, it was inferted into both theCreeds. In the longer, we believe One, Holy, Catholick, and Apoftolick Church.

In the Baptifinal Creed, the Holy CATHO LICK Church, the Communion of Saints.

The Truth of thefe Creeds is undeniably attested by the univerfal Tradition of the Catholick Church in all Ages. And if the Creeds be always true; the UNIVERSAL Church is alWays ORTHODOX. Hence her perpetual Orthodoxy is as certain, as univerfal Tradition can make it.

Befides, how can her Faith be reform'd, either in the chief, or in the inferior Articles of it; if fhe be always Apostolical? How can she State the Terms of her Communion wrong; if fhe be always the COMMUNION OF SAINTS?

Either therefore her Creeds are not always true; or She is always Orthodox, and irreformable, both in the chief and inferiour Articles of the Chriftian Revelation, and in her stating of the Terms of Communion with her.

Hence fhe has always afferted her Orthodexy. She has, in Seventeen Centuries, conK 2

Atantly

Chap. 3. ftantly feparated from her Communion al Queft.5. Diffenters, and branded them with the infamous Name of Hereticks, whoever have undertaken to reform her Faith, either in what our Adverfaries call Fundamentals, or in any other Points. She has, in feventeen Centuries, branded all those with the odious Name of Schifmaticks, who, without reforming her Faith, have left her Communion, and charg'd the Guilt of their Divifion upon her which Guilt they call caufal Schifm. Of these two Points the Quartodecimans,the Bishop of Istria in the Sixth Age, the Montanifts, the Novatians, the Donatifts, the Apolinarians, the Enemies of holy Images, call'd Iconoclasts, and others may be Witneffes. And what are all the Hereticks, mention'd by S. [11] Irenæus, by Tertullian, or a contemporary Author, in the end of his Treatife of Prefcription, by S. [12] Epiphanius, by S. [13] Philastrius, by S. [14] Auguftin, by [15] Theodoret, but fo many unfortunate Wretches who stand upon Record, like Malefactors hang'd in Chains, to deter wicked Men in after-ages from attempting to reform the Belief of the Holy Catholick Church, the Communion of Saints? If you afk me, whether the Orthodoxy, prov'd and promis'd by the word of God to the Catholick Church, is to be understood fo, that she never falls into any Error against Faith, or fo that she never falls into any evident and pernicious Error against it: I answer that her Orthodoxy extends to both these Cafes.

[11] In Libris de Hærefibus. [12] In Panario. [13] Lib. de Hærefibus. [14] Lib. de Hærefibus ad Quod vult deum. [15] in Libris de Hæreticis Fabulis.

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fes. Tho' if it were only promis'd in regard Chap. 3., to the Second, our Adverfaries ought to be con- Queft.5. tent with it, and to embrace her Communi

on.

Because by judging as fhe does, we cannot run into any pernicious Errors; into which we may easily fall, by opposing her De

crees.

II. But both the Creed and the Scripture fecures the Church of Chrift from any Error against Faith. For fhe is certainly un-orthodox, if the errs against it. And if the be Un-orthodox; the Creed is certainly falfe, which pronounces her to be Catholick, that is, Univerfal, and Orthodox. Again, if the errs against the Faith, once deliver'd to the Saints by the Apostles themselves; She is not Apoftolical. And if fhe is not Apoftolical, the Creed is falfe, by which fhe is declar'd to be One, Holy, Catholick, and Apoftolical. If, by a wrong Decifion of Faith, the excludes good and orthodox Chriftians from her Communion; She is not the Society and Communion of Saints, And if the is not the Communion of Saints; the Creed is falfe, which affirms this of her, What I have here faid, may be reduc'd to this fhort Syllogifm: If the Church we profess in the Creed, to be One, Holy, Catholick, and Apostolical, and to be the Communion of Saints, fhould fall into any Error against Faith, then the Creed would be falfe. But the Creed can-not be falfe: Therefore fhe cannot fall into any fuch Error, and is by Confequence an unerring Guide in all her Decifions of Faith.

This would appear in the H. Scripture with equal Luftre, if Men could perfwade themfelves to read it in fuch a manner,as it ought to be

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